Supporting stand

ABSTRACT

A supporting stand for supporting an object includes a hinge coupler, a prop plate and a coupling member. The hinge coupler is fixed onto a back plate of the object. The prop plate is coupled to the hinge coupler and permissible for multi-angle rotation. When the prop plate is rotated to a desired position where the center of gravity of the object reaches static force balance, the object will stably stand on a platform in an upright manner. The coupling member includes a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, which are respectively arranged on the prop plate and the back plate. The first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are magnetically coupled to each other when the prop plate is collapsed onto the back plate. In response to a specified operation, the first magnetic element is detached from the second magnetic element such that the prop plate is rotated to the desired position to have the object stand on the platform in the upright manner.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a supporting stand, and more particularly to a supporting stand for supporting an object such as a small-size liquid crystal display (LCD) or a photo frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With increasing development of high technology industries, a variety of new high-tech products are brought forth and the old ones are weeded out soon. In modern society, handheld electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), small-sized liquid crystal displays (LCDs), handheld game devices, etc. become essential electronic devices because they are feasible to be used in many instances. For example, the handheld electronic devices are often used in our daily lives or workplaces, or otherwise employed for teaching or amusement purposes. On account of their portability, the users can use such handheld electronic devices wherever and whenever they are. In addition to convenience and amusement, the general trends in designing handheld electronic devices are toward small size, light weightiness and slim volume.

Take a small-size liquid crystal display for example. Generally, the small-size liquid crystal display has a radio frequency receiver as an accessory. By means of the radio frequency receiver, the user can watch wireless TV programs on the liquid crystal display. Alternatively, in a case that the small-size liquid crystal display is communicated with a DVD player, the video data will be transmitted from the DVD player to the liquid crystal display, so that the user can watch the video data on the liquid crystal display as required. Nevertheless, for a purpose of continuously watching the programs shown on the small-size liquid crystal display, it is desired to put the small-size liquid crystal display on a platform such as a desk plane.

Referring to Fig. 1(a), a schematic diagram of a conventional portable upright liquid crystal display 10 is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1(a), the conventional portable upright liquid crystal display 10 comprises a display panel 11 and a foot stand 12. The foot stand 12 is disposed at the back side of the display panel 11. By means of the foot stand 12, the portable upright liquid crystal display 10 can be made upright when resting on the platform. Typically, the foot stand 12 comprises a hinge coupler 121 pivotally coupled to the back side of the display panel 11 and a prop plate 122 attached to the hinge coupler 121. When the foot stand 12 is movably pulled open to permit the center of gravity of the liquid crystal display 10 to reach static force balance, the display panel 11 can be supported to stand. The foot stand 12 of the liquid crystal display 10 functions as the foot stand commonly used in photo frames. Likewise, when the foot stand of the photo frame is movably pulled open to permit static force balance, the photo frame can be allowed to stand stably.

As noted above, the hinge coupler 121 usually has the functions for multi-stage securing. For example, in a lid-type mobile phone or notebook computer, the hinge coupler often imparts multi-stage angles between the display screen and the control keyboard, so that the display screen is pivotally coupled to the control keyboard. Likewise, when the hinge coupler 121 is applied to the portable upright liquid crystal display 10, the hinge coupler 121 can optionally adjust the tilt of the display panel 11, so that the user can easily and comfortably watch video programs in various orientations.

Generally, the hinge coupler 121 includes a spring and a plurality of linkages made of friction-imparting material. The friction force generated during operation of the hinge coupler 121 may shorten the lifetime of the hinge coupler 121. In addition, since the prop plate 122 of the foot stand 12 is frequently adjusted to maintain desired angle of the display panel 11, the hinge coupler 121 is readily damaged and subject to fatigue. At this moment, the connection between the prop plate 122 and the display panel 11 is likely loosened or otherwise the prop plate 122 fails to be securely attached onto the back side of the display panel 11. Under this circumstance, the angle between the prop plate 122 and the display panel 11 fails to be maintained as desired, and thus it is not convenience to store the portable upright liquid crystal display 10. In order to store the liquid crystal display 10, a fixing member disposed on the back side of the display panel 11 is utilized. After the prop plate 122 of the food stand 12 is collapsed such that the prop plate 122 is in close contact with the back side of the display panel 11, the fixing member may facilitate securely attaching the prop plate 122 onto the back side of the display panel 11.

Please refer to Figs. 1(b) and 1(c), which schematically illustrate operations of the fixing member 111 arranged on the back side of the display panel 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), the fixing member 111 is a rotatable latch piece. When the portable upright liquid crystal display 10 is arranged to stand, the fixing member 111 is rotated upwardly or downwardly as shown in FIG. 1(c) to make the fixing member 111 disengage from the prop plate 122. Meanwhile, the prop plate 122 is adjustable such that the angle between the prop plate 122 and the display panel 11 is maintained as desired. On the other hand, in order to store the prop plate 122, the prop plate 122 should be adjusted to be close contact with the back side of the display panel 11 as shown in FIG. 1(b), and then the fixing member 111 is rotated to its original position so as to securely attach the prop plate 122 onto the back side of the display panel 11.

Although the fixing member 111 may facilitate securely attaching the prop plate 122 onto the back side of the display panel 11, there are still some drawbacks. For example, since the fixing member 111 is protruded from the back side of the display panel 11, the fixing member 111 is readily damaged due to an improper force exerted thereon and thus the securing function thereof is lost at that moment. In addition, when the prop plate 122 in its collapsed state, the protruded fixing member 111 is adverse to space utilization of the portable upright liquid crystal display 10 and affects the appearance viewed from the back side of the display panel 11 in appearance. Moreover, the fixing member 111 is not integrally formed with the display panel 11. That is, the fixing member 111 and the display panel 11 should be separately produced in different fabricating processes, and then the fixing member 111 is mounted onto the display panel 11. Therefore, additional production cost and processing time are required.

In views of the above-described disadvantages resulted from the prior art, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly to develop a supporting stand according to the present invention through wholehearted experience and research.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a supporting stand for supporting an object in an upright manner. The supporting stand for supporting an object, which has a back plate. The supporting stand comprises a hinge coupler, a prop plate and a coupling member. The hinge coupler is fixed onto the back plate. The prop plate is coupled to the hinge coupler and permissible for multi-angle rotation. When the prop plate is rotated to a desired position where the center of gravity of the object reaches static force balance, the object will stably stand on a platform in an upright manner. The coupling member comprises a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, which are respectively arranged on the prop plate and the back plate. The first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are magnetically coupled to each other when the prop plate is collapsed onto the back plate. In response to a specified operation, the first magnetic element is detached from the second magnetic element such that the prop plate is rotated to the desired position where the center of gravity of the object reaches static force balance to have the object stand on the platform in the upright manner. 100111 In an embodiment, the object is a small-size liquid crystal display or a photo frame.

In an embodiment, the hinge coupler includes an accommodating member and a linkage member, wherein the linkage member is rotatably accommodated within the accommodating member so as to permit the multi-angle rotation.

In an embodiment, the prop plate is coupled to the linkage member of the hinge coupler, and the prop plate is synchronously rotated with the multi-angle rotation of the linkage member in the accommodating member.

In an embodiment, the back plate, the prop plate and the platform are substantially maintained as a triangular configuration when the center of gravity of the object reaches static force balance, such that the weight of the object is evenly distributed to the bottom of the back plate and the prop plate to have the object stand on the platform in the upright manner.

In an embodiment, the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are both made of magnetic substances experiencing magnetic fields. Alternatively, one of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element is made of the magnetic substance and the other one is made of a paramagnetic body.

In an embodiment, the magnetic substance is a magnet, and the paramagnetic body is an iron piece.

In an embodiment, the first magnetic element is arranged on the prop plate facing the back plate, and the second magnetic element is arranged on the back plate corresponding to the first magnetic element. The first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are magnetically coupled to each other due to magnetic attraction, so that the prop plate is securely attached onto the back plate in a collapsed state.

In an embodiment, the second magnetic element is embedded within an indentation structure of the back plate and arranged corresponding to the first magnetic element. The exposed surface of the second magnetic element is substantially aligned with the surface of the back plate, so that the surface of the back plate is smooth in appearance.

In another embodiment, the second magnetic element is buried within the back plate and arranged corresponding to the first magnetic element, so that the surface of the back plate is smooth and succinct appearance.

In an embodiment, the first magnetic element is detached from the second magnetic element in response to the specified operation when an external pulling force is applied on the prop plate to cancel the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element and cancel magnetic coupling between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above contents of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram of a conventional portable upright liquid crystal display;

FIGS. 1(b) and 1(c) schematically illustrate operations of a fixing member arranged on the back side of the display panel of the coventional portable upright liquid crystal display;

FIG. 2(a) is a schematic assembled diagram of a small-sized liquid crystal display and a supporting stand according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2(b) is a schematic diagram of the hinge coupler used in the supporting stand of the present invention;

FIG. 2(c) is a schematic diagram of the coupling member according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2(d) is a schematic diagram illustrating that the prop plate of the supporting stand is collapsed onto the back plate according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2(e) is a schematic diagram of the coupling member according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2(f) is a schematic diagram illustrating that the prop plate of the supporting stand is collapsed onto the back plate according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 2(a), a schematic assembled diagram of a small-sized liquid crystal display 20 and a supporting stand 30 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In the first preferred embodiment, the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 is an object intended to be supported by the supporting stand 30. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 has a back plate 21. The supporting stand 30 includes a hinge coupler 31, a prop plate 32 and a coupling member 33. The hinge coupler 31 is fixed onto the back plate 21. Likewise, the hinge coupler 31 may function as a known hinge coupler used in a lid-type mobile phone or notebook computer so as to impart multi-stage securing. The hinge coupler 31 also includes a spring and a plurality of linkages, which are made of friction-imparting material. By means of the hinge coupler 31, the prop plate 32 is pivotally coupled to the back plate 21 and securely fixed onto the back plate 21. As previously described, if the hinge coupler 31 is damaged or subject to fatigue, the hinge coupler 31 fails to function well.

Referring to FIG. 2(b), a schematic diagram of the hinge coupler 31 is illustrated. The hinge coupler 31 includes an accommodating member 311 and a linkage member 312. The linkage member 312 is movably accommodated within the accommodating member 311 so as to permit multi-angle rotation. In the first preferred embodiments, the hinge coupler 31 and the accommodating member 311 are made of friction-imparting material. The friction force resulting from rotation of the linkage member 312 in the accommodating member 311 will fix the relative position therebetween. The main body of the hinge coupler 31 is fixed onto the back plate 21 by for example screwing or using adhesive material. Alternatively, the accommodating member 311 of the hinge coupler 31 is integrally formed with the back plate 21. The process of fixing the hinge coupler 31 onto the back plate 21 is apparent to those skilled in the art, and is not redundantly described herein.

Please refer to FIG. 2(b) again. The prop plate 32 is coupled to the linkage member 312 of the hinge coupler 31, so that the prop plate 32 is synchronously rotated with multi-angle rotation of the linkage member 312 in the accommodating member 311. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2(a), when the prop plate 32 is rotated to a desired position where the center of gravity of the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 reaches static force balance, the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 will stably stand on a platform such as a desk plane (not shown) in an upright manner. In the static-force-balance state, the back plate 21, the prop plate 32 and the platform are substantially maintained as a triangular configuration. Under this circumstance, the weight of the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 is evenly distributed to the bottom of the back plate 21 in contact to the platform and the prop plate 32, so that the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 is able to stably stand on the platform in an upright manner.

The coupling member 33 is schematically illustrated with reference to FIG. 2(c). In particular, the feature of the present invention is to dispose the coupling member 33 on the supporting stand 30 for facilitating storing the prop plate 32. In this first preferred embodiment, the coupling member 33 includes a first magnetic element 331 and a second magnetic element 332. As can be seen in FIG. 2(c), the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 are arranged on the prop plate 32 and the back plate 21, respectively.

Moreover, the first magnetic element 331 is arranged on the prop plate 32 facing the back plate 21, i.e. the inner side of the prop plate 32. The second magnetic element 332 is arranged on the back plate 21 corresponding to the first magnetic element 331. As shown in FIG. 2(c), the back plate 21 further includes an indentation structure 333 having a size matching the second magnetic element 332. After the second magnetic element 332 is embedded within the indentation structure 333, the exposed surface of the second magnetic element 332 is substantially aligned with the surface of the back plate 21, so that the surface of the back plate 21 is very smooth. In addition, since the majority of the second magnetic element 332 is embedded within the indentation structure 333, the second magnetic element 332 will not affect the appearance of the whole apparatus. When the prop plate 32 is moved toward the back plate 21, the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 will magnetically coupled to each other due to magnetic attraction. Meanwhile, the prop plate 32 is securely attached onto the back plate 21 in a collapsed state.

In the above embodiment, both of the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 are made of magnetic substances experiencing magnetic fields, e.g. magnets. Alternatively, one of the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 is a magnet and the other is made of a paramagnetic body, e.g. an iron piece. Due to the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332, the prop plate 32 is securely attached onto the back plate 21 in the collapsed state.

It is preferred that the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 are slim elements, so that the supporting stand 30 is collapsed to a reduced compact size. Under this circumstance, the possibility of damaging the supporting stand 30 from collision is significantly reduced.

In the first embodiment, the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 are arranged on the prop plate 32 and the back plate 21, respectively. It is noted that, however, those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. For example, corresponding portions of the prop plate 32 and the back plate 21 may be made of the magnetic substances, so that the prop plate 32 and the back plate 21 are magnetically coupled to each other due to magnetic attraction. In this instance, the supporting stand 30 is collapsed to the possible minimum compact size.

After the prop plate 32 of the supporting stand 30 is collapsed onto the back plate 21, as is shown in FIG. 2(d), the prop plate 32 is securely fixed onto the back plate 21. In addition to maintaining smoothness of the back plate 21, the second magnetic element 332 has satisfactory concealment. Therefore, the problems of causing damage of the protruded fixing member 111 as occurred in the prior art will be overcome. On the other hand, in response to an external pulling force applied on the prop plate 32 to resist the attractive force between the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332, the first magnetic element 331 is detached from the second magnetic element 332. When the prop plate 32 is rotated to a desired position where the center of gravity of the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 reaches static force balance, the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 will stably stand on the platform in an upright manner.

Referring to FIG. 2(e), the schematic diagram of the coupling member 33 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the second magnetic element 332 is buried within the back plate 21 and at the location corresponding to the first magnetic element 331. In such manner, the surface of the back plate 21 is kept smooth and the supporting stand 30 is also collapsed to the possible minimum compact size. The other components included therein are similar to those described in the first preferred embodiment, and are not redundantly described herein. In this embodiment, since the second magnetic element 332 is buried within the back plate 21, the back plate 21 is very clean in appearance.

Please refer to FIG. 2(f), which is a schematic diagram illustrating that the prop plate of the supporting stand is collapsed onto the back plate according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Although the second magnetic element 332 is buried within the back plate 21, the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 are still magnetically coupled to each other due to magnetic attraction when the supporting stand 30 is collapsed onto the back plate 21, so that the prop plate 32 is securely fixed onto the back plate 21. Likewise, in response to an external pulling force applied on the prop plate 32 to resist the attractive force between the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332, the first magnetic element 331 will be detached from the second magnetic element 332. When the prop plate 32 is rotated to a desired position where the center of gravity of the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 reaches static force balance, the small-sized liquid crystal display 20 will stably stand on the platform in an upright manner.

From the above description, the present invention can solve the problem in the prior art by taking advantage of the coupling member 32 consisting of the first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332. The first magnetic element 331 and the second magnetic element 332 are simply made of magnet and magnet (or magnet and iron piece), which are quite cheap and cost-effective. In addition, since the exposed surface of the second magnetic element 332 is substantially aligned with the surface of the back plate 21 or buried within the back plate 21, the back plate 21 is clean in appearance and the problems of causing damage of the protruded fixing member 111 as occurred in the prior art will be overcome. The present invention is illustrated by referring to a small-sized liquid crystal display 20. Nevertheless, the present invention can be applied to other objects requiring for stably standing on a platform in an upright manner, for example photo frames.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. 

1. A supporting stand for supporting an object, the object including a back plate, said supporting stand comprising: a hinge coupler fixed onto said back plate; a prop plate coupled to said hinge coupler and permissible for multi-angle rotation, the object stably standing on a platform in an upright manner when said prop plate is rotated to a desired position where the center of gravity of the object reaches static force balance; and a coupling member comprising a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, which are respectively arranged on said prop plate and said back plate, wherein said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element are magnetically coupled to each other when said prop plate is collapsed onto said back plate, and in response to a specified operation, said first magnetic element is detached from said second magnetic element such that said prop plate is rotated to said desired position to have the object stand on the platform in the upright manner.
 2. The supporting stand according to claim 1 wherein the object is a small-size liquid crystal display or a photo frame.
 3. The supporting stand according to claim 1 wherein said hinge coupler includes an accommodating member and a linkage member, said linkage member being rotatably accommodated within said accommodating member so as to permit the multi-angle rotation.
 4. The supporting stand according to claim 3 wherein said prop plate is coupled to said linkage member of said hinge coupler, and said prop plate is synchronously rotated with the multi-angle rotation of said linkage member in said accommodating member.
 5. The supporting stand according to claim 1 wherein said back plate, said prop plate and the platform are substantially maintained as a triangular configuration when the center of gravity of the object reaches static force balance, such that the weight of the object is evenly distributed to the bottom of said back plate and said prop plate to have the object stand on the platform in the upright manner.
 6. The supporting stand according to claim 1 wherein said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element are both made of magnetic substances experiencing magnetic fields, or one of said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element is made of said magnetic substance and the other one is made of a paramagnetic body.
 7. The supporting stand according to claim 6 wherein said magnetic substance is a magnet, and said paramagnetic body is an iron piece.
 8. The supporting stand according to claim 1 wherein said first magnetic element is arranged on said prop plate facing said back plate, and said second magnetic element is arranged on said back plate corresponding to said first magnetic element, wherein said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element are magnetically coupled to each other due to magnetic attraction, so that said prop plate is securely attached onto said back plate in a collapsed state.
 9. The supporting stand according to claim 8 wherein said second magnetic element is embedded within an indentation structure of said back plate and arranged corresponding to said first magnetic element, where the exposed surface of said second magnetic element is substantially aligned with the surface of said back plate, so that the surface of said back plate is smooth in appearance.
 10. The supporting stand according to claim 8 wherein said second magnetic element is buried within said back plate and arranged corresponding to said first magnetic element, so that the surface of said back plate is smooth and succinct in appearance.
 11. The supporting stand according to claim 1 wherein said first magnetic element is detached from said second magnetic element in response to said specified operation when an external pulling force is applied on said prop plate to resist the magnetic attraction between said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element and cancel magnetic coupling between said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element. 